Spirits-aging apparatus



Dec. 31, 1929. J. R. NAYLOR SPIRITS AGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 31, 1927 0/47 HHHH c ssefi. 5

INVENTOR. M Z02 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 31, 1929 JESSE R. NAYLOR, OF PORTLAND, OREGON SPIRITS-AGING APPARATUS Application filed August 31, 1927. Serial No. 216,725.

This invention relates to an apparatus for use in aging spiritous liquors, and particularly to an apparatus whereby the liquor is aged by agitation and heat.

One object of the invention is to provide a portable type of apparatus which may be applied interchangeably to barrels or kegs con taining the liquor or liquors to be aged.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, reliable and efiicient construction of aging apparatus having means for agitating the liquid and electrically heating the same and for automatically controlling the heat supply soas to heat the liquid uniformly to a given temperature at all times.

With these and other objects in view,'the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which a Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section,showing the ap paratusas applied to a liquid container for use.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the apparatus.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a support for the working parts of the device, whichsupport comprises ahead in the form of a preferably metallic base plate 1 carrying a bed or top plate 2 of suitable electric insulating material, and said plate 1 having upon the underside thereof a tapered plug or sealing member 3 to enter the open end of a barrel, keg or other liquid container and screw threaded for making a tight connection therewith. Carried by the head and extending downwardly from the member 3 is a stationary tubular support or guide memher i in which is journaled a shaft 5 carrying at its lower end a propeller 6 for agitating and constantly keeping in motion the liquid contents of'the container. The shaft 5 extends upwardly through the parts 1, 2 and 3 and is connected at its upper end with the drive shaft 7 of a motor 8. For connecting said shafts 5 and 7 a torsion spiral spring coupling 9 is employed, which spring is fastened at its ends to collars 10 and 11 e11- gaging the shafts and secured thereto by set screws 12 and 13 or other suitable fastening devices. The motor 8 may be an electric motor or motor of other suitable type, and the purpose of employing the spring coupling 9 is to provide a coupling connection which will absorb shocks and jars and any irregularities of motion of the a motor and maintain an even and regulated continuity of motion of the propeller 6. The spring connection also provides a means whereby, in the starting of the motor, irregular starting motion of the propeller 6 will be prevented, the spring applying the motor drive action gradually to the shaft 5 until it reaches a speed equal to the motor shaft speed, during which any unduly violent agitation of the liquid will be prevented. The motor is supported atits base upon uprights l4 suitably fixed at their lower ends in the head and having their upper ends entering threaded openings in the motor base and provided with sets of top and bottom clamping nuts 17 and 18 adjustable for properly leveling the motor, so as to properly aline the shafts and adapt the motor to operate without undue vibrations: o

Also supported by the head and extending downwardly from the motor 3 is an electric heater, generally indicated at 19, said heater comprising an outer casing 20 of heat transmitting but electrically insulating material, such as mica within which is enclosed a heat ing unit 21 comprising a core of electric insulating material, such as porcelain, about which is wound a resistance wire 22. In the action of this device the heater heats the liquid contents of the container while such contents are being regularly and uniformly agitated or kept in motion by the propeller 6, whereby the aging operation is efiected;

Mounted upon the plate 2 is a terminal bracket 23 secured thereto by fastening screws 24, one serving as a binding post, and extending upwardly from said bracket is an arm 25 to which is pivoted one end of a switch lever 26. The opposite or free end ofthis lever is arranged for circuit make and break engagement with an adjustable contact screw 27 on a terminal bracket 28 secured to the plate 2 and carrying a binding post 29 to which is connected one of the main conductors 30 of an electric supply circuit, and from which binding post 29 leads the conductor 31 to a binding post 32 on the plate 2, to which binding post is connected one of the terminals 33 of the electrical resistance wire. The switch member 26 carries a binding post 34L to which is connected the other main supply conductor of the electric supply circuit, which conductor and switch 26 are in electrical connection with the bracket 23 and its binding post 24, to which binding post the other end or terminal 35 of the electrical resistance heating wire is connected. An electric circuit for the heating coil is thus established which is adapted to be closed by contact of the free end of the switch 26 with the adj ustable contact member 27, through the adj ustments of which contact member 27 a desired sensitiveness of circuit controlling action of the switch 26 may be secured. The pivoted end of the switch 26 has a tongue portion 36 projecting over upon the bracket 23 and between which and said bracket is arranged a coiled spring 37 normally acting on said tongue to depress the free contact end of the lever into engagement with the contact member 27 except at such time as when the lever is positively held elevated and in circuit closing position by the action of a thermostatic rod 38.

The rod 38 is enclosed within a tubular casing 39 of suitable conducting material which is submerged in the liquid in the container so that the rod 38 will be influenced by and will expand and contract under variations of temperature of the liquid. At its lower end the casing 39 is provided with a cap 40 against which the lower end of the rod 38 abuts. This cap is normally separate from the casing and is secured in position by solder 4L1 fusible at a temperature higher than the temperature at which the liquid is to be subjected. The lower normally open end of the casing 39 permits of the introduction of the rod 38 and removal of any defective rod and the substitution of a new rod therefor without disturbing any of the other parts of the apparatus; the cap 40 being soldered in position upon the casing after the rod is applied to hold it in assembled position. The upper end of the rod projects upwardly through a guide bushing 42 in the top-of the casing 39 and beyond the top of said bushing, the upper extremity of the rod engaging the lower end of an adjustable contact screw t3 carried by the lever 26 adjacent to its pivoted end, so that as the rod 38 expands and contracts it will raise and lower the lever 26 in an obvious manner. The thermal and electric constants are so calculated that the rod 38 will expand to its maximum degree and raise the lever 26 to break the electric circuit the instant the temperature of the liquid in the container reaches a predetermined high degree, thus automatically cutting oft the flow of electric current to the heater, the lowering of the temperature and contraction of the rod 38 allowing spring 37 to act to move lever 26 into engagement with the contact 27, thus again closing the circuit for the supply of current to the heater. By adjustment of contact 27 a sensitiveness of action of the lever 26 with relation to the contact 27 may be secured, and by adjustment of the contact 43 with relation to the thermostatic rod 38 the sensitiveness of action of the thermostatic rod on the lever may be obtained, so that through a fineness or action of the switch mechanism, in switching on and 03 the electric current, the liquid contents of the container will be heated to an exact degree and be prevented from becoming heated to any higher degree during the aging action. The aging operation is completed after the liquor has been heated for a predetermined period, while being maintained in motion by the propeller 6, as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing, it will be seen that my invention provides a self-contained and portable aging device for spiritous liquors which may be readily and convenient 1y moved from place to place and, therefore, m

transferred from one container to another in which quantities of liquid are kept for aging treatment, thus making the apparatus one of great convenience in use and inexpensive of manufacture and maintenance. By the use of an electrical driving motor, current may be taken from the same source for operating the motor and supplying current to the electric heater. the device also provides for accuracy and rapidity of operation in the aging treatment, and renders the parts readily accessible for convenience in cleaning them and making repairs and replacements.

Having thus fully described my invention, 7

I claim 1. In a spirits aging apparatus, a support forming a head for closing the open end of a liquid container, an electric heater depending from said support for heating the liquid in the container, a switch device on the upper surface of the support for controlling the supply of current to the heater, and a thermostat including an expansible and contractible rod extending through the support with its upper end operatively engaging the switch device for controlling the latter.

2. In a spirits aging apparatus, a support forming a head closing the open end of a container, an electric heater depending from the support for heating the liquid in the container, current supplying means for the heater, including an adjustable contact and a switch device for engagement therewith, mounted on the upper surface of the sup- The described construction of 10s llO port, a thermostatic device extending through the head and including an expansible and contractible rod for Opening and closing said switch, and an adjustable contact on the switch engaging the rod.

3. In a spirits aging apparatus, an electric heater for heating the liquid, current supplying means for the heater including an adjustable contact, a pivotally mounted switch device for engagement with said contact and governing the flow of current through the current supplying means, a linearly expansible and contractible thermostatic rod influenced by the temperature of the liquid, and an adjustable contact carried by the switch and engaging said rod.

4:- In a spirits aging apparatus, a support forming a head for closing the open end of a liquid container, an electric heater depending from the head for heating the liquid in the container, current supplying means for the heater, a pivotally mounted switch device on the head governing the flow of current through the current supplying means, a spring for normally holding the switch in open position, a thermostatic rod depending from the head and extending at its upper end upwardly therethrough and adapted by expansion to close the switch, and an adjustable contact carried by the switch and engaging said rod.

5. In a spirits aging apparatus, a support, a shaft carried by the support, a propeller carried by the shaft for agitating the liquid, a motor carried by the support, and an elastic torsional coupling connection between the motor and shaft.

6. In a spirits aging apparatus, a support, a shaft journaled in and extending above and below the support, a propeller carried by the lower end of the shaft for agitating the liquid, rods rising from the support, a motor carried by said rods, and an elastic torsional spring coupling between the motor shaft and the upper end of the propeller shaft.

7 In a spirits aging apparatus, a support forming a head for closing an open end of the liquid container, an electric heater depending from the head for heating the liquid in the container, current supplying means on the head including a switch, and a thermostatic device depending from the head and in operative engagement with the switch for controlling the same.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JESSE R. NAYLOR. 

